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Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey"

Originally Posted by MikeS21

Here's the thing. Votto is a GREAT hitter. But I don't think his defense ought to be dismissed, either. Votto has worked hard on his defense. I think he has worked on his defense so much that he has turned it from a liability into a pretty decent asset.

He may not be a Gold Glover, but I'd say Joey is solid average, and maybe a tick or two better than average. And it wouldn't surprise me if in three or four years, Votto isn't one of the top three defensive 1B's in the NL.

Wasn't he drafted as a catcher? Didn't the Reds experiment with Votto at 3B for part of a season in the low minors?

He was drafted as a catcher. And his minor stats show that in his first season in the GCL, he played 3 games in LF, 7 at catcher and 19 at 3B. I'll leave others to determine what that record was defensively.

Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey"

If this isn't just lip service, its pretty dumb. If you ask 100 people who have seen both Votto and Alonso play which one would even have a chance of being a solid left fielder, 100 would say Votto. I get that Votto is established and very good, but this is a move that seems built around making a player happy rather than the team better. The team would absolutely 100% be better if Votto were in LF and Alonso at 1B rather than Alonso in LF and Votto at 1B.

Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey"

Originally Posted by dougdirt

If this isn't just lip service, its pretty dumb. If you ask 100 people who have seen both Votto and Alonso play which one would even have a chance of being a solid left fielder, 100 would say Votto. I get that Votto is established and very good, but this is a move that seems built around making a player happy rather than the team better. The team would absolutely 100% be better if Votto were in LF and Alonso at 1B rather than Alonso in LF and Votto at 1B.

That sure takes a lot of other players out of the equation.

Suck it up cupcake.

Raisel Iglesias is The Demon's Head. Accept this nickname as bestowed.

Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey"

GOODYEAR, Ariz. - Yonder Alonso hears the talk, how could he not? Even without the talk, it makes sense. The Reds have a franchise first baseman who is young and getting better every season in Joey Votto, and Alonso plays the same position.

Picked by the Reds with the seventh overall selection in the 2008 draft, Alonso's bat is nearing big-league ready, but he just needs a place to play. That could come from a change of team or a change of position.

"I don't want to get traded, I really like it here," Alonso said.

Alonso played in Class A Sarasota last season and in Class AA Carolina before missing two months with a broken right hamate bone and then played in the Arizona Fall League. Baseball America rated him the Reds' second-best prospect coming into the 2010 season. Bottom line is, he's got to play. It just doesn't appear it'll be at first base.

So Alonso's trying his hand elsewhere. On his own, he's been working in the outfield. He's also gone back to work on third base, a position he played in college, and he even caught bullpens last season ("I sucked," he notes. "I was terrible.")

"I've got to make sure I prepare, look at all the field, right, left, third, first, anything. I can also catch and just hope for the best," Alonso said.

Reds manager Dusty Baker said he noticed Alonso working in leftfield on his own on Sunday.

"I know he can hit," Baker said.

Alonso will likely get his chance to show that in the exhibition games. He and Votto are the only players who are primarily first basemen in camp, although several others can and have played first. Danny Dorn plays first too, but is listed as an outfield. Baker also said the team would employ a designated hitter for much of spring in order to get more players at-bats.

Regardless, Alonso said he knows he'll get his chance and isn't frustrated at having to find a way around Votto, who is unlikely to move positions now that he has established himself as a good defensive first baseman.

"It's not frustrating, because I look at it as a challenge for me," Alonso said. "I look at (Votto) and try to learn as much as I can. I talk to Scott Rolen about what I can do. I talk to Jay Bruce. You'll see me talking to everyone, trying to learn. So far it's worked out good. I'm getting positive feedback. I'm happy. As long as I hit, I guess."

Because Alonso can hit, the Reds will find a place for him - until then, he'll be saddled with the questions, which is the worst part.

"It comes with it," Alonso said. "We've got an All-Star at first base and you have someone coming up that's young, 22, and it's just part of it. I've got to make sure I'm prepared and do my part, and everyone's going to do their part and win."

Baker noted that it's hardly unprecedented, either.

"I remember coming up as a kid when they had Willie McCovy and Orlando Cepeda on the same team and they ended up moving one to the outfield. You remember when the Cincinnati Reds had Lee May and Tony Perez. They had a similar problem there, right?"

In the end, the Reds traded Lee May to Houston to alleviate that logjam and got a decent second baseman out of the deal.

Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey"

Originally Posted by dougdirt

If this isn't just lip service, its pretty dumb. If you ask 100 people who have seen both Votto and Alonso play which one would even have a chance of being a solid left fielder, 100 would say Votto. I get that Votto is established and very good, but this is a move that seems built around making a player happy rather than the team better. The team would absolutely 100% be better if Votto were in LF and Alonso at 1B rather than Alonso in LF and Votto at 1B.

I think you're right Doug on each of your points.
+
Maybe some of it is just conversation now, or lip service as you have said.

Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey"

You have to love Alonso's attitude. It sounds like he's willing to do anything to to reach the majors with the Reds. I'd love to have his bat in the lineup everyday along with Bruce and Votto, but I'm just not sure if we'll ever see that. I agree with some of the others, I think he may end up being trade bait, a la Matt LaPorta.

Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey"

Originally Posted by dougdirt

If this isn't just lip service, its pretty dumb. If you ask 100 people who have seen both Votto and Alonso play which one would even have a chance of being a solid left fielder, 100 would say Votto. I get that Votto is established and very good, but this is a move that seems built around making a player happy rather than the team better. The team would absolutely 100% be better if Votto were in LF and Alonso at 1B rather than Alonso in LF and Votto at 1B.

Keeping Votto happy would make more sense to me than moving him for the #50something prospect in baseball.

Re: Alonso trying 3B, OF. Jocketty: "I don't see us moving Joey"

Originally Posted by edabbs44

Keeping Votto happy would make more sense to me than moving him for the #50something prospect in baseball.

When Alonso is ready to play in MLB, it is not going to matter what prospect # people have attached to him, what's going to matter is how are the Reds the best team they can be. If Votto has to move to make the Reds better, his and this board's tears will really be pointless much as this board's defensiveness on the issue is meaningless right now. Walt said what he had to say at this point, but that may very well change down the line.

Again, I am amused by the bashers. Alonso is one the 2-3 best hitting prospects the Reds have had in the last 10 years or so and y'all can't even appreciate it. Pretty funny.

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